He explained: "I am very proud of my team - we didn't panic when we didn't have a scrum-half or when were only one point in front.

"This team has worked together for 18 months and has improved a lot and we've learnt to win this type of game.

"After tonight people will start to think Sale is not a bad team."

Victory in France was a tough ask for Sharks, who had not played or trained together for five weeks due to players' international commitments during the autumn internationals.

Saint-Andre said: "I knew it would be really hard to win and that it would be very tough with the scrum and drive.

"I was also scared that we would be rusty because we've been without our internationals for five weeks.

"In the first half we were a bit rusty, we created so many chances but we didn't finish them, which worried me because when you have four or five opportunities to score and you don't take them you can sometimes lose this type of game."

Back-row Chris Jones, who pulled off a crucial line-out steal late in the game, earned praise from Kingsley Jones, Sharks' head coach.

"Jones was outstanding again," explained Jones.

"I said it last week I don't know what the boy's got to do [to get back in the England team].

"He is really putting his hand up. He's just got to keep doing that and he can't be ignored."